Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) top officials were taken to task over questionable financial dealings involving the controversial Greenfield Terminal project at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Lawmakers who sit in the Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy, chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, raised concerns over irregular payments and financial accountability at the institution.

The MPs took issue with an irregular payment of Ksh75 million allegedly spent on the groundbreaking ceremony of the Greenfield Terminal project in 2014.

The money was paid to contractors and labelled as a “contract variation,” despite there being no such provision in the original contract or bill of quantities.

The MPs who examined audited accounts of KAA covering the financial years 2018/2019 to 2021/2022, also flagged nugatory payments totalling over Ksh4.5 billion made to contractors and consultants without evidence of actual work completed by June 30, 2019.

They specifically questioned the Ksh4.31 billion paid as an advance to the main contractor, ACEG/CATIC JV and the Ksh216 million that was disbursed to the consulting firm Louis Berger JV Runji and Partners.

Additionally, audit records revealed that PricewaterhouseCoopers was paid Ksh7.4 million after its contract for technical advisory services was terminated under unclear circumstances.

Led by Pkosing, MPs Katana Kahindi (Kaloleni), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East), and Duncan Mathenge (Nyeri Town) questioned the justification for categorising ceremonial expenses as a project variation, terming it a possible misuse of public funds.

Pkosing, who emphasised the need for accountability, inquired whether the members of the organising committee were still working at the institution.

Kahindi sought to know the identities of the committee members responsible for organising the groundbreaking event.

“How can there be such a huge variation in the cost of a project that hasn’t even started? This committee must take the matter seriously and hold those responsible accountable. We cannot allow people to play around with taxpayers’ money. They must be dealt with accordingly to serve as an example to others,” he said.